Benjamin h



UNITED STATES BENJAMIN H. WEBB, OF NORTH CAMBRIDGE, NEW YORK.

VENTILATING RUBBER BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent-No. 41,87 9, dated March 8,1864.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN H. WEEE, of North Cambridge, in the countyof Washington and State of New York ,ha\'e invented an Improvement inVentilating Rubber Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference markedthereon.

rlhe nature of my invention consists in the combination of a tube with aboot that has channels all over the inside of it and an opening throughit at the heel ofthe insole, the tube being on the outside of the backof the boot-leg and open at thetop and connecting at the opening at theheel of the insole with the channels inside the boot, and kept frombeing in contact with the leg of the boot, eX- cept at the heel, byhaving small protuberances on the back of the tube, between the tube andboot-leg, so that air may circulate between the tube and leg of the bootto prevent the heat within the boot from heating the air in the tube,protuberances being formed each side of the tube and an opening in thefront of the tube near the top, so that airmay at all times readilypass' up between the protuberances and into the tube, the channels inthe boot being formed by attaching within the boot a lining made as asock in the form and size of the inside of the boot and havingprotuberances on the outside of it, this lining beiiig made of feltcloth or woven, the protuberances bein gabout one-quarter of an inchsquare and about one-sixteenth of an inch thick, ex-

cepting on the sole, where they should be thicker and about one-eighthof an inch apart each way, holes being cut or woven in the lining atthecorners ot' the protuberances, through which holes the perspiration maypass from the foot into the channels and be carried from the boot by airwhich will pass down the tube -outside the boot and up between theprotuberances inside.

The boot with only the channels inside, as with a stove having anopening only into the pipe and chimney, is very far from being wellventilated but when, in addition to the channels, the opening at theheel of the insole is formed the boot is sufficiently ventilated.

When, in addition to the channels and opening the tube is attached as Ihave devised, the cold air continues to pass into the boot as readily aswith only the channels and opening, there being no perceptiblealteration in the ventiiation. I attach the tube to the opening for thepurpose of keeping the snow, mud', and water from the opening. The agenthere of circulation with the channels and opening, with or without thetube, is the heat of the foot, heated air being lighter than cold, andrises, when cold air can readily, pass under it to force it up. It' thefootv has no heat, there is no circulation, and no need ofA any, therebeing in such case no perspiration. It' the heat ot' the foot is verygreat, there is much perspiration and much circulation. The circulationis in proportion to the perspiration, the perspiration being inproportion to the heat of the foot. In summer and warm climates the footis warmer than in cold climates and seasons, as well as the air outsidethe boot, and this device procures sufficient ventilation for allseasons and climates.

Figure I represents the 'boot with the tube and lining andprotuberances. At the left edge of the tube is represented a part oftheprotuberances upon the back ot' the tube. Still farther to the left isrepresented the pro tuberances at the side of the tube. The parts a andb represent the openings in the top of the tube. The small circles inthe lining within the top of the boot represent the openingsthrough'which the perspiration passes from the foot into the channelsformed bythe protuberances on the lining. Ihe dark spots around theupper edge of the boot represent the upper part of the protuberancesupon the lining. Fig. 2 represents the lower part of the back of theboot with an opening at c. Fig. 3 represents the back of the lower partof the tube with the protuberances upon it and anopening at d. The tubeis to be placed upon the boot so that the opening d of the tube will beupon the opening c ot the boot.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The combination ot' a tube, or what is equivalent, with boots and shoesthat are made of india rubber or other material requiring ventilation,substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

B. H. WEBB.

Witnesses:

A. S. WEBB, SAMUEL SKIEF.

